There Is No Gas Shortage!

But Washington, Wall Street, and ethanol and oil and gas companies want you to think there is, says automotive expert Ed Wallace

Why haven't we decided to turn oil & gas into a utility yet?

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/apr2008/bw2008041_945564.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_businessweek+exclusives#=rss

DISCUSS!

The USA imports significant amounts of gasoline.  This is in addition to importing much larger amounts of oil, much of which is refined domestically into gasoline, etc.  Given the importing, why would anyone conclude that there isn't a gas shortage in the USA?

Sure, one important feature is that gasoline imports are done to make up for stunted refinery capacity.  We just haven't kept up with building refineries, since the NIMBYs and other blockages have successfully kept us from doing so.  But that aside, even if refined to such a level, we'd still be using all that gasoline, hence the price of oil would largely remain the same.